Category: Change

Have you ever wondered why some change programmes – for example developing new services – are easily implemented and some are difficult to even get started or they fail?
….or why the same type of development initiative runs smoothly in one organisation and not so well in another, so that it has to be abandoned?
…or why one change agent or change team can implement changes easily but another is struggling?
….or one organisation embraces change, and another resists change?
During my 30 years of work experience in the service industry it has always intrigued me why good innovative ideas for new or improved services were not developed further i.e. implemented, even though the new service would have had social, economic or environmental benefits.
This issue drove me to start a seven-year-long PhD research journey inquiring into the question:What are the barriers to New Service Development (NSD)?
andHow can these barriers be overcome?
…and more detailed questions.…What strategies can be applied to overcome these barriers?In what instances should these strategies be applied?How can we as individuals and organisations learn from these development initiatives, so that we don’t make the same mistakes over and over again?Can we perhaps build “barrier overcoming capabilities”?
As part of an extensive action research programme carried out over many years, in collaboration with many people and teams, designing and implementing a range of new services, a model for managing the development of new services was created.
I will tell the story of this journey and the evolution of the model over the coming weeks.

Biography

My research and development interests are focused on improving practice and advancing theory in service operations, through participatory methodologies of collaborative action learning, action research and action oriented leadership. For over 30 years I held leadership roles in the service industry, in higher education, shared services, publishing, health services, retail and the hospitality industry. Throughout my career I combined academic engagement with practice.
To improve practice and advance theory in service operations, innovation and development I completed my PhD in business and service operations through insider action research methodology. Before that, I accomplished an MBA with the Open University, while working as a service manager in the shared services industry. I completed my undergraduate degree in Business Administration in Munich, Germany while working part-time in health services, retail and the hospitality industry.

I am employed by Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin as Service Operations Manager. My current focus is the implementation of a new workplace wellbeing policy, which I have developed in collaboration with almost 100 workplace participants over a 4-months period. In parallel, I am continuing my scholarly engagement in the Trinity Business School, which involves publishing, student supervision, and presenting on the subjects of service operations management, development and leading change in this area.